章 16: A Side of Avond
It took only five minutes for a fully black minibus to appear beside the museum, right before the gap. The door slid open even before it came to a halt, revealing Jade looking at them from within the shadows.
She waved, beckoning Avond and Celeste to come quickly; they weren't supposed to park their car there.
Celeste felt heat spread across her cheeks when she saw Jade, hoping the other girl would understand her situation. If Jade didn't, perhaps she never truly understood how dire it was.
As Avond took her hand and guided her to the minibus, the smell of pine trees greeted her along with the cool kiss of the air conditioning. The door shut behind them, isolating them from the noise outside.
"Hey, Celeste, this is the second time I've saved you today!" the man driving said without looking back, skillfully making a U-turn. Celeste glanced at Avond.
"Celeste, you already know Jade. That one is Wouter, my right-hand man," Avond explained, a smile touching his lips. "If you ever can't reach me, you can always call Wouter."
"Or me," Jade interjected, smiling at Celeste. She seemed unbothered, which was oddly reassuring to Celeste, considering how little time they had known each other.
"Or you," Avond agreed. "So, there are three of us."
"So, shall we go to the Basement or...?" Wouter started.
"No. Not the Basement. We're going to my place," Avond replied. Wouter glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his eyes full of concern.
"Your place? Am I missing something?" Wouter chuckled. "Are you planning to butter her up before giving her back or what?"
"Wouter!" Jade scolded, while Avond stared at him hard. Celeste couldn't help but laugh, the tension leaving her body. Though her laugh was silent, the two sitting near her looked at her in surprise. She didn't entirely like Wouter's comment, but there was something casual about him that made it funny.
"See, she doesn't mind. You know what? I'm just the driver. Let me take you two back," Wouter said, glancing at Celeste with a look of appreciation. Celeste nodded, breaking the subtle connection.
Celeste noticed Avond was preoccupied with a text on his phone. It was strange how both he and Tiel came from the same world, yet their natures differed. Avond didn't have the same sharp edge that she sensed from Tiel.
Suddenly, Jade tapped her knee, engaging Celeste in conversation. To Avond's place, they chatted while the two men remained silent. Occasionally, she glanced at Avond, who wore a serious and concerned expression. She wondered if everything was alright but then decided it wasn't her business.
The trip to Avond's apartment took longer than Celeste expected. Fifteen minutes turned into half an hour, and one hour became two.
The scenery changed from the skyscrapers of Torra to ordinary office buildings, then to wide industrial areas, past the docks, through suburban neighborhoods, and finally towards the countryside.
Green pastures covered rolling hills framed by thick forests, dotted with carpenter cottages, farmhouses, barns, and winding asphalt roads like thin shadows of dead branches.
As she looked outside, Celeste was amazed by the sight of large draft horses running alongside the car.
She spotted the white dots of sheep in the distance—dozens to hundreds—accompanied by cows, chickens, and even foxes. It was hard to believe that this place was only a two-hour drive away, and she had never been here before. If she had a choice, Celeste would never leave.
"Don't be thinking of running away out here. It's beautiful during the day, but it's scary at night," Avond said, his head tilted back and eyes closed. She had thought he was asleep.
No. No. I know you're right, but no, I won't run away, Celeste thought, smiling as Avond caught her gaze. The two chuckled.
The open landscape soon shifted again to a small town with three-story apartment buildings, beautifully decorated and well-kept.
The streets were sparsely populated with pedestrians in overalls and tall black boots, most of them walking small, thick-furred dogs.
Eventually, the car stopped beside a walkway hidden by thick shrubs. Small flowers grew on the vines that crept over the red brick path.
Celeste inhaled the scent of the countryside and fresh air. She turned to wave goodbye to Wouter, while Jade slept soundly, her head tilted sideways and her mouth slightly open.
"She works hard," Avond remarked, and Celeste could only nod in agreement. Avond beckoned her to follow, leading her to the back of the building. A large red wooden door stood behind a bronze fence, where pots of purple flowers hung.
"If you're wondering, this town is called Sempi. Most of the domestically sold wool comes from here," Avond said as he unlocked the apartment entrance.
They walked down a narrow carpeted corridor that led up the wooden stairs to the third floor. It was his private level, Celeste realized, noticing that his door was the only door on the floor.
"I know it's far, but I need my space," Avond explained. "I hate to admit it, but I'm getting old...if you can call twenty-eight old." He laughed, and Celeste shook her head, thinking, That's not old at all.
"I just feel old, I guess. Come on in and make yourself at home. The best view is from the living room balcony," he said, which Celeste noticed immediately.
Avond's apartment was nothing like what Celeste had imagined. The flooring was made of dark Roman wood, releasing a calming scent throughout the house.
The carpet was thin, with intricate colorful patterns from the Southeast continent. A large wooden coffee table sat in the center, with a single candle holder and a box of matches on it.
The space had the potential to be beautiful, but it was cluttered and messy. She began to notice the random items strewn about, dirty clothes on the floor, dishes piled in the sink, and the dining table covered with various items.
She couldn't imagine finding anything in this chaos.
"Sorry for the mess. Believe it or not, I still manage to find what I need in this mayhem," Avond said, randomly picking things up from the floor. Celeste decided to speak up. She placed her bag down and pulled out her notebook.
"Please, let me help you clean up. It wouldn't be too much trouble for me. If you let me, this place could look great," Celeste said, bringing a thin smile to Avond's face.
"I know you mean well, but I'd still like to be able to find my things. Maybe just leave it as it is," he replied. She couldn't help but feel disappointed. There had to be something she could do to repay his kindness.
"What about the floor? And the kitchen? Can I clean those?"
"Hmmm… aren't you tired?"
"No. It won't take long! I'm quick," Celeste said, wondering if she sounded like she was boasting. But it was true. Mina used to assign her chores whenever she was caught deep in a book, honing her cleaning skills.
"Well, if you don't mind, then I suppose it's fine. I do need to go, so you be good," Avond said, surprising her. He looked like he was on the verge of collapse; dark circles lay under his eyes, and he seemed barely able to stay awake, yet he pressed on.
"Where are you going? You look exhausted; you should rest," Celeste wrote in her notebook. Avond chuckled, handing it back to her as he put on a thick stainless-steel jacket.
"You're right, I am exhausted. But I have to meet my father and report that you're still missing. He prefers to get bad news in person," he said, cracking his back at the doorway. Celeste quickly scribbled on the wall.
"What about your motorbike? You left it downtown."
"One of my men has it. Yuri's probably at the Basement by now," he murmured, mostly to himself. Celeste watched in silence as Avond left the apartment.
Turning back to the mess, Celeste sighed. Though disappointed that she couldn't touch anything on the surfaces, at least she could pick up what was on the floor and clean the kitchen. While she was at it, she might even cook something and write a letter to Avond.
Wherever Avond was heading, it was probably far away. He wouldn't be back for a few hours, she guessed, as she heard the low rumble of a motorbike outside. She stepped out and watched Avond drive away on another bike.
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